Happily Ever After

This is our love story: 19 years ago, after kissing my share of "frogs", I met Michael Bishop.  We became great friends, and started dating in less than 3 months of meeting. We fell in love, got engaged, and then had a beautiful, intimate wedding in my dad's yard, with about 110 guests.  It was just wonderful.  Right after our first wedding anniversary, we welcomed our first child, our son, Michael Solomon.   We recently celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary, and I can tell you that our marriage has been close to perfect-like a sweet dream I didn't want to wake up from.

Ha!!! Gotcha!!! Most of what I said above is accurate, but all that hoohaw about a nearly perfect union can be scratched!  Being married and trying to make 2 very different people into 1 has been interesting but quite painful. Sure, we've had great times, but there were many times I thought all this fighting was just not worth it.  I've looked at Mike in the past, and asked "Who are you? You are not the man I married!" Yes, we have talked about separating. Yes, we've gone to bed and made sure our feet didn't touch in bed. Yes, we have faced issues with our extended families, our children, our finances, and even our health.  As a matter of fact, I never thought marriage would be so difficult at times!

But more importantly,  there have been times that I laid on my side of the bed during the night, and looked at my husband's face, with only the light coming from the hallway allowing me to make out his facial features.  I've noticed, during those times that Mike has aged.  He still is very handsome,  but he doesn't look the same way he did almost 2 decades ago.  Truth is, as much challenge as we have had these past 17 years, I still believe my husband has my best interest at heart, and only wants me to succeed in life.

Marriage will make you  come face-to-face with your personal issues, and your issues with compromise, humility, and problem-solving.  It's the hardest assignment I've ever had, but maybe the most rewarding.  And I am also coming to understand that no matter what crazy situations your relationship endures, it truly takes total dependance on The Father to survive and thrive.

So, although I'd love for Mike to be "Mr. Perfect Husband", that's just not possible. He's human just like me, and I am not "Mrs. Perfect Wife" on my best day!  We must allow God to heal our personal issues, and, at the same time, stick together.  Marriage can be absolutely amazing,  but it doesn't just happen. It takes work, humility, and dependence on God!  No matter what you're facing, fight for your marriage,  and the place to start and end, is in prayer.